Destructible tooth brush



Sept. 7, 1937. v L, w g-r 2,092,438

' DESTRUCTIBLE Too-m BRUSH Filed April 14, 1936' 'INVENTOR VERNE L. G WJLT 711mm A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE amass flppzflzlf Ailil lfz 1:: ?;,291

1 Claim. (CI. -210) This invention relates to a dental article and particularly pertains to a destructible tooth brush.

In the treatmentof various diseases in the oral cavity it is desirable to provide a sterile and medicated cleaning member which may be used'for a single time in cleaning the teeth and gums and absorbing pathological exudates, and

which device is suiliciently inexpensive to make 10 it possible for it to be'discarded and destroyed after it has been used. It is also desirable to provide a tooth brush which may be supplied for emergency use, such as placed within the bath room of hotels, or carried while traveling or camping, and it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a tooth brush which may be simply made and constructed, and which will make it possible to thoroughly clean the teeth, even to passing around the rear sides of the molar teeth, the structure being made with a destructible handle, and a medicated cleaning pad which protects the teeth and gums from the handle and which pad may carry antiseptic materials and desiccating material to facilitate in the absorption of pathological exudates.

The invention contemplates the provision of a destructible handle carrying a pad at one end thereof by which a thorough rubbing and cleaning of the teeth and gums may be brought about without danger of injury due to contact of the handle member with theteeth or gums, the pad being further constructed of a desired composite material or fibrous material treated with medicaments and sterilizing agents. The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a view inplan showing the tooth brush, and particularly indicating the manner in which the brush pad overhangs the handle.

Referring more particularly to the drawing Ill indicates a handle carrying a brush pad II. In the form of the handle shown in Figs. 1 to 3, in-

' elusive, the handle is indicated as being constructed of a thin strip of wood which may be 50 broken when the tooth brush is discarded after use. Mounted upon the handle is the pad ll 1 preferably made of absorbent material, such for example as felt or absorbent cotton. The pad is fastened to the handle by a. suitable adhesive. The pad is substantially rectangular in shape, and as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing overhangs the side of the handle at opposite sides as indicatedat l2 and I3, and overhangs the end of the handle as indicated at it. In this manner it will be seen that the pad will protect the teeth and gums of the. user from the sides of the handle and make it possible for a thorough scouring action to be carried on without danger of injury to the gums. It will also be seen that the relative short length of the pad ll makes it possible for the pad to be inserted around the back molar teeth for thoroughly cleansing the same. It is preferable that the rubbing face of the pad ll be formed with serrations ll', as particularly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. By this arrangement the space between the adjoining teeth may be thoroughly cleansed. As previously stated the pad II is made of absorbent material. This material may be thoroughly sterilized and medicated. It has been found that by introducing into the pad materials which facilitate in the absorption of pathto great advantage when such conditions prevail. A material suitable for incorporation into the pad for this purpose might be calcium chloride, or materials of like characteristics. when brushes are used having the stiff wooden handle l0 it is possible to break the handle after use so that the brush would not be by any chance reused. It is also possible that where the brush is used adjacent to a toilet it might be thrown into the toilet and its wooden handle might clog the plumbing.

In the use of the present invention it is desirable to prepare the tooth brush with its handle and pad as shown in the drawing and to thereafter individually dispense the article within a sealed cellophane wrapper. This makes it possible to initially sterilize the pad and the handle and to insure that the article will be maintained in a sterile condition until used. The brush may be impregnated with any desired material, such as previously described, or with a dentifrice so that the brush can be used without the necessity for a supply of tooth paste or dental powder. After the brush has been used its handle may .be

broken and the entire structure discarded.

It will thus be seen that the present invention. contemplates the provision of a brush having a handle so inexpensive to manufacture that a new sterile brush may be used each time without entailing any great expense. It will also be evident that in the present case the entire brush, including the brush pad and the handle, is discarded, which is different from other devices ological exudates the tooth brush may be used on the market in which the brush or brushing pad only is discarded and an unsterile handle is reused. The present invention is therefore not only sterile but insures that the teethmay be 5 thoroughly cleaned, the gums medicated, and

the used brush thereafter disposed of.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes might be made in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit oi the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A tooth brush comprising a flat thin strip of readily breakable material, and a pad oi a soft textile material substantially rectangular in shape and sealed wholly on, and secured by adhesive material to, one flat face of the handle adjacent to an end thereof, the pad being of a width and length to project at its side edges and one end beyond the respective side edges and adjacent 10 end of the handle.

VERNE L. G. WILT. 

